Ben Stokes Claims 6 Scalps in English Test Series Warm-up

Practice match, Lilac Hill (first day of three)

Development squad 382: Will Jacks 84, McKinney 67; Ben Stokes 6-52

National team: awaiting batting

Ben Stokes produced six wickets in his initial appearance since July but England faced an injury concern involving fast bowler Wood on the first day of their Ashes warm-up versus England Lions in Western Australia.

Stokes, returning after nearly four months out with a shoulder problem, bowled 16 overs across three spells for his 6-52 against England Lions – all to catches on the leg side.

Pace bowler Mark Wood, himself returning after 9 months out with a knee injury, delivered a pre-planned number of eight overs before departing the field in the afternoon session because of a hamstring problem. He will receive scanning on the following day.

The Wood situation drained the energy out of the day, as the England Lions were dismissed for three hundred eighty-two on a slow, low surface after an uncontested toss at the venue.

The tourists wanted to bowl first to get overs in their legs before the first Ashes Test at the main venue, beginning on November 21st.

In a possible hint towards their opening Test strategy, the tourists selected an all-pace attack – four specialists plus the captain – and left off-spinner Shoaib Bashir in the development squad.

Jacob Bethell failed to press his claim for inclusion in the Test team, making only two, but Jacks boosted his claim to be selected later in the tour by hitting eighty-four.

McKinney, Jordan Cox, teenage Rew and Potts also scored half-centuries.

England's plan to play a solitary warm-up game against the development squad has been criticized by some ex-players but Stokes hit back by labeling the critics "former players".

A relaxed first day in front of a smattering of fans at the ground was definitely a world away from what England will face at a sold-out main stadium next week.

The captain was superb in the contest against India in the domestic season, only to strain himself to breaking point. He was absent from the final Test with a shoulder tear.

The skipper has not completed a complete participation in any of the team's past four tours because of various injuries and the team's chances of winning back the Ashes are significantly reduced if he misses any of the five matches in the host country.

He has been bowling at maximum speed for two months and appeared in good condition on the match day, even if he could not comprehend the way in which some of his dismissals were presented.

Jacks is unlikely to play in the opening match – England look to have revealed their intentions with the XI selected here. Nevertheless, he may have nudged himself ahead of the out-of-sorts Bethell with his eighty-four, which came at almost a run a ball.

Even before the doubt over Wood, the five seamers in the England XI for this game may not have been the attack for the initial match.

Brydon Carse was absent from the opening day because of illness, with his position going to Tongue. Tongue had Lions opener Ben McKinney caught behind just after the break.

Although the captain took the scalps, Jofra Archer caught the eye. He was lively with the fresh ball and again after the interval, when he discomforted Will Jacks.

In the absence of Bashir and with Mark Wood departing, Root was asked to bowl fourteen overs of his spin bowling. It was mediocre fare, costing 117 at an economy of more than eight.

Root at least took a wicket in the closing stages when Fisher unexpectedly hit a full delivery to mid-on before Archer dismissed with a bouncer Matthew Potts for fifty-three with the final ball of the day.